Opoponax/Sweet Myrrh(Commiphora erythraea) eo/Ethiopia(wild harvest)

Olfactory qualities of Opoponax/Sweet Myrrh(Commiphora erythraea)/Ethiopia(wild harvest)The pale yellow oil oil displays an intensely sweet, rich balsamic, light, fresh aroma topnote with a spicy warm, powdery-resinous floral undertone. The tenacity is quickly filling the room with its complex resinous bouquet. It has a commanding presence and its aromatic aura remains distincly imprinted in the atmosphere for hours after it has established itself.

In perfumery is used in leather bases, fougeres, incense bouquets, oriental accords, forest notes, heavy floralsIt is one of the oils that when used in a composition must be done so sparingly because its power is easily underestimated(like galbanum eo, cinnamon bark eo, ambrette seed abs) One may not notice its impact immediately but after several days-if the amount added is to much, one may find that it has taken on a dominant role which one never intended

Music, surely, was the art nearest akin to odour. A superb and subtle chord floated about him; it was composed of vervain, opoponax, and frangipane. He could not conceive of a more unearthly triad. It was music from Parsifal. Through the mists that were gathering he savoured a fulminating bouquet of patchouli, musk, bergamot, and he recalled the music of Mascagni. Brahms strode stolidly on in company with new-mown hay, cologne, and sweet peas. Liszt was interpreted as ylang-ylang, myrrh, and maréchale; Richard Strauss, by wistaria, oil of cloves, chypre, poppy, and crab-apple.VISIONARIESBYJAMES HUNEKER

The afternoon was as balmy as a day in June, and to complete the simile of the old song, he had put on a blue frock-coat, dispensing with an overcoat, after sending Adolf down three times to make sure that there was not the least suspicion of east in the wind; and the frock-coat was buttoned so tightly around his personable form, that, if the buttons did not shine, they might pardonably have done so. Majestic on the pavement he fitted on a pair of dog-skin gloves; with his large bell-shaped top hat, and his great stature and bulk he looked too primeval for a Forsyte. His thick white hair, on which Adolf had bestowed a touch of pomatum, exhaled the fragrance of opoponax and cigars—the celebrated Swithin brand, for which he paid one hundred and forty shillings the hundred, and of which old Jolyon had unkindly said, he wouldn't smoke them as a gift; they wanted the stomach of a horse! The Forsyte Saga, Complete, by John Galsworthy

'These are the cannisters where I keep my raw stuff' he said, pointing to the tine canisters ranged on shelves. They stood hand in hand reading the names of the lables/'Ambergris--that's the name of a scent I bottle,' she said with a little latugh/ 'I used lavender ribbon for that. And orris--that's the powder. Don't they have queer names? Opopona, that always makes me laugh.'They laughed together over opoponax.'And there's name out of Scripture,' she said, 'frankincense and myrrh.'He took down the tine of benzoin, and made her smell it, shaking some of the brittle stuff into the palm of her hand; crumpling up her hand into a cup, and guiding it now to her nose and then own. They compared their tastes; 'I think this sort smells nicest.' she said to him, graveling holding out her cupped hand, but he would not agree, after bending over with the deliberation of a practiced critic, and added a little storax, which, he said, brought out the pungency of the storax.The Dragon in Shallow Waters By Victoria Sackville-West

"That is the politest gentleman I ever saw in all my life! said one of the girls."And what a curious perfume he had in pocket handkerchief, or something!" says another."Well, now I though," said the youngest of them all, "that it smelt like brimestone!"Then the other girls made game of her, and told her she knew nothing of the scents in used in fashionable society; so she had to give in(in being the custom to give in when other people do not agree with you) and confess that it might have musk, or patchouli, or frangipanni, or millefluers, or sweet opoponax, or eau-de-cologne. But they all agreed that it could not have been lavender, because it was vulgar not very expensive. Lilliput legends, By William Brighty Rands

The air was hot and heavy with the smell of the dust of ages which had gathered in the nooks and crannies of this dull and drabby room. It mingled with irritating unpleas- antness with the scent of opoponax or heliotrope that emanated from lace handkerchiefs, and with the pungent odours of smelling salts ostentatiously held to delicate noses. THE HEART OF A WOMAN BY BARONESS ORCZY

The conversation was here interrupted by the appearance of the priest, alarge fat man, whose new, thick-soled boots creaked as he ascended thesteps of the altar. He was preceded by two boys dressed in white andblack surplices, who rang little brass bells furiously; a greattrampling of feet was heard, and the peasants came into the church,coughing and grunting with monotonous, animal-like voices; and thesour odour of cabin-smoked frieze arose--it was almost visible in thegreat beams of light that poured through the eastern windows; whiffsof unclean leather, mingled with a smell of a sick child; and Oliveand May, exchanging looks of disgust, drew forth cambricpocket-handkerchiefs, and in unison the perfumes of white rose and eaud'opoponax evaporated softly.MUSLINByGEORGE MOORE

After a time my troubled spirit grew calmer, as I sat th%re inhaling the insidious breath of Tonquin musk, the fragrance of attar of roses, the sweetness of Indian spikenard and the stinging pungency of myrrh, opoponax ,and ihlang-ylang. Fainfly I could detect the perfume which I have always comited the most exquisite of all save one — ^that delightful preparation of Jasmine peculiarly Egyptian. But the mystic breath of frankincense and erotic fumes of ambergris alike left me unmoved ; for amid these odorsy through which it has always seemed to me that that of cedar runs thematically, I sought in vain for the hint of '^Breath of Allah.''TALES OF SECRET EGYPT By sax ROHMER

She pressed her handkerchief to her eyes, and exhaled over his a cloud of the perfume she habitually used. The discreet delicacy of the iris was overpowered by the sharp sweetnes of the opoponax, so that, half suffocated by the pungent odour of the atmosphere around her, he made for the window.The undying past By Hermann Sudermann

About Me

Since childhood I have been interested in the world of natural aromatics. This interest gradually developed into our home business White Lotus Aromatics. Keypoints along this aromatic journey were:
1) living on a small farm in India where many tropical fragrant plants were to be found
2) a career in horticulture, highlighted by working on a formal garden estate, Filoli
3) many journeys throughout the length and breadth of India to explore India's ancient and modern aromatic traditions.
Please note that I have an interest in the wonderful world of natural aromatics, but have no therapeutic expertise. Any mention of ayurveda or other traditional healing systems in strictly for cultural interest.